Around Us

Published 7:00 pm, Thursday, June 5, 2008

AMARILLO - Potter County Sheriff Mike Shumate will face an all-female jury in his public corruption trial.

Jury selection wrapped up Monday and a panel of 12 women was seated. An alternate, also a woman, also will hear testimony.

Shumate is accused of accepting bribes from Dallas-based Mid-America Services Inc. and two felonies for illegal campaign contributions. He could face up to life in prison if convicted.

Opening statements were to begin today at the Potter County Courthouse

Before a jury could be selected, visiting Judge Quay Parker denied motions by Shumate's defense lawyers to quash the indictments against him.

Selden Hale, Shumate's attorney, filed papers claiming David Glickler, a prosecutor for the Texas Attorney General's Office, wasn't properly appointed to seek indictments against his client. Hale also argued the indictments were too vague.

Parker met with an undisclosed number of potential jurors in a May pre-qualifying screening. His main concern was the extensive pre-trial media coverage.

Glickler had fewer than 95 jurors to question. He focused his questions on whether jurors could distinguish between a public official and a private business owner.

Glickler also asked that jurors not be swayed by "collateral consequences" that come with a felony conviction. In Shumate's case, a felony conviction could include removal of office, though he is set to leave in January after losing re-election.

He also faces the revocation of his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education certification.

A majority of the pool admitted to wondering what Shumate did rather than what he is accused of, a differentiation Peck tried to explain to jurors was not in line with the presumption of innocence. - Amarillo Globe-News

LUBBOCK - The ownership of Highland Community Hospital has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but may well be on its way to selling the troubled property.

The healthcare facility at 2412 50th Street, managed by Shiloh Health Services Inc. in Louisville, Ky., apparently took the action Saturday in U.S. Bankruptcy Northern District Court.

Records show the specialty hospital owes more than $10 million to 500 creditors. The largest among them is the Internal Revenue Service.

Lubbock attorney Max Tarbox, who is representing the hospital, confirmed the bankruptcy filing, as did Wayne Cheek, Highland's assistant administrator.

Tarbox said Highland employs about 100 workers. It was unclear what their fate would be. In a Chapter 11 filing, the debtor is allowed to continue to operate a business as it works out a plan to pay its creditors.

Shiloh is a hospital management company formed in 2005. It serves as the general partner for Highland. It acquired the 123-bed facility as its base of operations in March 2006 from Community Health Systems. - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

LUBBOCK - An Oklahoma woman was fighting for her life Monday after police say her husband severely beat and sexually assaulted her at a local motel.

The 25-year-old woman was taken to University Medical Center, where she was in critical condition. Her injuries were life threatening.

Her husband is accused of beating the couple's 5-year-old son, who was at the motel with his 4-year-old sister. Police said the boy was doing fine, and both were taken into custody by Children's Protective Services.

The woman's husband was arrested on several charges, including aggravated assault, injury to a child, sexual assault against his wife and violation of a protection order.

Authorities believe the woman was assaulted at the Motel 6 in the 600 block of 66th Street. Her husband called emergency medical personnel to the motel at about 7 a.m. Monday.

Police were not sure when the assault happened or its details, but said the wife's injuries were not consistent with the story given to them by her husband. - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal